Simply Payroll

16 May 2017

Simply Payroll has recently been re-launched supporting a fresh new look

With Simply Payroll, the process is completely paperless and the need for complicated spreadsheets is eliminated. Timesheets, wages, PAYE tax, leave accruals, allowances and deductions can all be handled from this one app, making the entire process streamlined. Employees simply enter their start and finish time on the website or mobile app, as shown in the image below (left). Farm managers or administrators can then easily review, edit and approve these details and accordingly schedule payments to employees (right).

Employees can enter start and finish times (left). Managers can the review and pay staff from the app (right).

One of the most useful features of Simply Payroll is its calculator, which alerts farmers when minimum wage regulations are at risk of being breeched. The system tracks hours for salaried workers and compares against minimum wage level. Farmers can then avoid infringements by clicking the suggested top-up button.

This app could be a good choice for farm managers, business administrators or anyone involved with managing employees. Famers using the app have quoted that what used to take them two hours, now takes them only a matter of minutes. The system also provides peace of mind for farmers by ensuring they are compliant with regulations and IRD requirements. This includes automatic payments to IRD and handling of IR filings.

Simply Payroll can be accessed via the web on any PC, or an app can be downloaded from the Android Play Store or Apple Store for mobile devices and tablets. Set-up is carried out over the phone. For those transferring from another pay system, data can also be transferred directly into the system. To add new employees onto the app, they simply need to enter their personal details, including bank account and IRD number.

Simply Payroll is designed to be affordable for businesses of all sizes. One of the unique benefits of the tool is that there is no purchase or set-up fee - you are only charged when you make a payment. Currently, it costs $5 per pay run, with an additional $1.25 per employee (excluding GST). A handy calculator on the website also helps to calculate pricing based on employee numbers. This small cost can be easily justified by most farm businesses when considering the amount of time saved by using the app. A farm with two full time workers and a part time employee would would pay just $8.75, which compares favorably with the two hours it saves by not having to complete pay records manually - which could cost around $50. The disadvantages of their payment system is that some farmers may prefer to pay a one-off fee upfront and it is also more expensive for businesses that schedule pay runs more regularly. Members of Federated Farmers are entitled to a $50 bonus credit on sign up.

Although this tool is very easy to use, the number of functions offered within the app means some experience or training would still be required to get to grips with the applications. This is easily overcome with Simply Payroll’s free training and support, along with a series of tutorial-style videos available to assist people new to the app. Unfortunately, these videos still feature the old user interface so an updated version would be useful. It is also not possible for new users to test out the app without registering by phone. The app relies on Wifi or mobile data to operate. In some rural areas, coverage may be limited making the app more impossible to use. Although a PC with a broadband connection could be used, the ability to complete all tasks within the app is lost.

Overall, Simply Payroll is an excellent, easy-to-use app that has the ability to revolutionise the way staff and payrolls are managed in farming businesses. To find out more about or register for Simply Payroll, head to their website at www.simplypayroll.co.nz or check them out on Facebook.